Billy Napier tried to require players to donate to UL athletic fund, but school steps in

In what is being termed as an “unheard of” move, University of Louisiana at Lafayette coach Billy Napier explained earlier this week he is requiring his players to donate to the school’s athletic fund.

He quickly got overruled.

The former Alabama assistant coach wanted his scholarship players to become members of the Ragin’ Cajuns Athletics Foundation, which requires a minimum donation of $50.

“It’s all about gratitude,” Napier said during Wednesday’s press conference, per The Advocate.

"We want our players to be educated and understand the benefits that come with being a student-athlete and that is not something that should be taken lightly — the effort and time and investment that the people that support athletes at UL have put in into this program.”

Of course, it isn’t really a $50 donation if it is required.

So, it didn’t take long for the school to reverse course on the implementation of the rule.

The Advocate reports Patrick Crawford, UL assistant AD for communications and digital strategy, said shortly after the announcement the initiative is not mandatory, per a released statement.

“The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Department of Athletics is thrilled that head coach Billy Napier’s football program and its student-athletes expressed their collective desire to give back and show gratitude to the Ragin’ Cajuns Athletic Foundation,” Crawford said in a statement. “Members of the football program have started an initiative to demonstrate their appreciation to the RCAF, including its board of directors, staff and investors, when they are able to do so.”

The “when they are able to do so” part of the statement doesn’t exactly scream the donation is optional but does open the door to question the validity of the requirement aspect of Napier’s new rule.

Then again, it’s kind of like “optional workouts.”

Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.